Event Management Jobs in Canada: Careers, Salaries, and How to Get Hired

The Canadian event management landscape — demand, sectors and locations

Canada’s events industry covers corporate conferences, non-profit galas, music festivals, trade shows and private celebrations. Major hubs like Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa host a large share of national and international events, while smaller cities offer niche opportunities. Demand grew after pandemic restrictions eased, driven by conferences, hybrid events and experiential marketing. Sectors hiring consistently include tech and healthcare (conferences), tourism and hospitality (festivals and destination events), and government and NGOs (ceremonies and stakeholder meetings). Seasonal work peaks in summer for festivals and holiday seasons for private events, but corporate roles tend to offer steadier year-round employment.

Common roles, required skills and qualifications

Typical job titles include Event Coordinator, Event Manager, Production Manager, Meeting Planner, Venue Manager and Sponsorship/Partnership Manager. Employers look for a mix of technical and soft skills: project management, budgeting, vendor negotiation, logistics planning, contract management, onsite operations and proficiency with event software (e.g., Cvent, Eventbrite, planning CRMs). Soft skills—communication, problem solving, calm under pressure and team leadership—are equally important. Formal credentials can help: diplomas in event management, hospitality or marketing; certifications like CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) or CSEP (Canadian Special Events Professional); and health and safety certifications for large-scale events. In bilingual regions such as Ottawa and parts of Quebec, French-English fluency is a strong advantage.

Finding jobs and getting hired — practical tips and salary outlook

Search specialized job boards (Eventective, MeetingJobs, Indeed Canada), industry associations (e.g., ILEA, MPI chapters), and local hospitality job listings. Networking is crucial—volunteer at festivals, attend industry meetups, join LinkedIn groups and reach out to local event agencies in Ottawa and other cities. Build a portfolio with photos, budgets, run-of-show documents and testimonials; include examples of hybrid or virtual events if you have them. Salary ranges vary: entry-level coordinators often start between CAD 35,000–45,000, mid-level managers CAD 50,000–75,000, and senior event directors or production managers can earn CAD 80,000+. Freelance and contract work can pay hourly or per-project rates, sometimes higher during peak season. Tailor your resume to highlight measurable outcomes—attendance figures, sponsorship revenue growth, or cost savings—and prepare scenario-based examples for interviews (problem solved on-site, budget adjustments, vendor conflict resolutions).